CFL Week 1 Takeaways

[USABomberfan]

Well I'll tell you, obviously every week the Bombers win is a great one, and this one was no exception.  Maybe more so because we're 1-0 and SSK and CGY are both 0-1.  And looking at what's happened ...

1. We're going to find out what this Harker kid in SSK is made of and if SSK's defense can help him out.  Too early to say but ... I don't think he's a Chris Streveler

2. Only one game this weekend was decided by more than 7 points, and that was ours, but even that one really was a hard fought close one.  My memory could be getting short here, but I don't remember the last time I saw these kind of close scores in every game of a CFL Week.  Lotta excitement for sure.

3. It might be early, but I'm going to come out and say it.  The once dominant CGY will NOT ... I repeat WILL NOT reach the magic number of 13.  They've not had fewer than 13 wins if you look it up since 2012, a year that they also finished below first.  They will this year though, and that will be enough for us to knock em off.  Now I'm not saying they're going to have a bad or losing year, but the numbers show that when they win fewer than 13, they lose the West, and after yesterday, that ain't no 13 win team I guarantee it.  They haven't lost a home opener since 2011 either when they had their fewest wins of the last decade at 11 and lowest finish at 3rd in the West.

 

Crazy this year does in many ways feel like 2011, I mean not because our team is anything like what it was then because it's not at all.  But because of the parity in this league.  That year was one of those years where the line between the good teams and the bad ones was so thin you would have the bad teams upsetting the good ones at any given time.  Given how close these games have been, and given that we don't fully know exactly what we got in some of these teams, this definitely feels like 2011 with a West division that's once again very open, and no team not even Hamilton really differentiating themselves out East.

[O2L]

Here’s a hot take after week one: the best team in the east is Toronto. I think if Masoli can’t get back to 2018 form, Franklin will be the top QB in the east. My money is on TO winning the east. 

[TBURGESS]

Bad week for newbie HC's. Only one, Steinauer, managed to get a win. Claybrooks, Dickenson, and Jones all lost.

Ottawa beating Calgary was the surprise of the week. BLM missing a wide open receiver late in the 4th almost never happens. Neither does throwing 4 picks and winning. Maybe Ottawa won't be as bad as I expected. Maybe the Stamps finally drop in the standings like folks have been predicting for years.

Our young OL played well. 2017 Nichols showed up. Our front 7 owned BC's OL. Everything the positrons have been saying all off season came true, except they said that Hecht sucked.

BC needs to fix the busts in their defensive backfield and have to find a running game before they become good. Think mid-season.

It's nice to be tied for first, while Calgary, BC, and Sask are tied for last.

Based on this week, Ottawa and Montreal look better than I thought they would and Calgary looks worse.

 

[O2L]

24 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Bad week for newbie HC's. Only one, Steinauer, managed to get a win. Claybrooks, Dickenson, and Jones all lost.

Ottawa beating Calgary was the surprise of the week. BLM missing a wide open receiver late in the 4th almost never happens. Neither does throwing 4 picks and winning. Maybe Ottawa won't be as bad as I expected. Maybe the Stamps finally drop in the standings like folks have been predicting for years.

Our young OL played well. 2017 Nichols showed up. Our front 7 owned BC's OL. Everything the positrons have been saying all off season came true, except they said that Hecht sucked.

BC needs to fix the busts in their defensive backfield and have to find a running game before they become good. Think mid-season.

It's nice to be tied for first, while Calgary, BC, and Sask are tied for last.

Based on this week, Ottawa and Montreal look better than I thought they would and Calgary looks worse.

 

Yeah I still think BC will be one of the top teams, definitely expect them to turn it around by mid-season and I see their défense getting much much better. Their head coach is arguably (or maybe just straight up?) the best defensive coordinator in the league - I don’t see him putting up with last night’s effort for long. Glad we got them when we did. 

[blueingreenland]

1 hour ago, O2L said:

My money is on TO winning the east. 

I doubt it. Masoli will bounce back. Hamilton takes the east.

I took almost as much pleasure in seeing Calgary lose to Ottawa as I did in seeing Winnipeg win.

 

[Mr Dee]

CFL America Films and TV      (Who?)

Power Ranking week one. Am I wrong? @CFL_News @CFLPodcasts @CFL_4_Ever @CFLonTSN @CFL_Headlines @cfl_memes @2guys1greycup @cfldb 

1. Bombers 

2. Edmonton 

3. Ottawa 

4. Hamilton 

5. Stamps

6. Lions

7. Riders 

8. Montreal 

9. Argos

👁‍🗨 I won’t include the Argos, but, in my powder rankings, I have 

Winnipeg 

Edmonton

Ottawa

Hamilton 

Saskatchewan 

Calgary

BC

Montreal.      

Anybody else?

[Tracker]

The Riders re-signed Bennett, did they not? A good guy who has had a hard time sticking with one team, but will instantly and unquestionably be the #1 quarterback in Regina.

[JuranBoldenRules]

3 minutes ago, Tracker said:

The Riders re-signed Bennett, did they not? A good guy who has had a hard time sticking with one team, but will instantly and unquestionably be the #1 quarterback in Regina.

A QB with zero accuracy.  Pre-season all-star.

[Tracker]

1 minute ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

A QB with zero accuracy.  Pre-season all-star.

Still gonna be #1 pivot in Regina.

[Zontar]

1. Stretches last year when BLM offense looked off. But defense bailed him out. Might not get that luxury this year.

2. WPG. Good as advertised.

3. OTT had no business winning that game. Tons of dumb mistakes by both sides. Dickenson didn't sleep a wink last night.

4. MTL is not a good team. EDM simply took what was given.

5. HAM. New offense, week one, against maybe best defense in league. Masoli gets benefit of the doubt.

6. BC will be fine.

7. Last year TSNs qb project was Jennings and Bridge. This year so far it's Davis whom TSN will try and turn into a thing.

[USABomberfan]

2 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

CFL America Films and TV      (Who?)

Power Ranking week one. Am I wrong? @CFL_News @CFLPodcasts @CFL_4_Ever @CFLonTSN @CFL_Headlines @cfl_memes @2guys1greycup @cfldb 

1. Bombers 

2. Edmonton 

3. Ottawa 

4. Hamilton 

5. Stamps

6. Lions

7. Riders 

8. Montreal 

9. Argos

👁‍🗨 I won’t include the Argos, but, in my powder rankings, I have 

Winnipeg 

Edmonton

Ottawa

Hamilton 

Saskatchewan 

Calgary

BC

Montreal.      

Anybody else?

Even though Ottawa won yesterday, I don't buy them at number 3.  I'd bump em down to 5

[USABomberfan]

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

The Riders re-signed Bennett, did they not? A good guy who has had a hard time sticking with one team, but will instantly and unquestionably be the #1 quarterback in Regina.

Well if they didn't, someone should.  I think Harker gets a few shots here these next few weeks, but he should be looking over his shoulder.

[rebusrankin]

Rider Defence looked better than I thought.

Calgary-This may be the year we've all waited for since 2008.

Edmonton-Good offense/Bad Defence

Montreal-I feel bad for Khari.

TSN-Needs to fire Rod Black. Guy is useless. Need to improve their telecasts. FYI TSN Nobody gives a **** about the Outrageous Burger or Bennevides and Forde's eating habits.

[USABomberfan]

47 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Rider Defence looked better than I thought.

Calgary-This may be the year we've all waited for since 2008.

Edmonton-Good offense/Bad Defence

Montreal-I feel bad for Khari.

TSN-Needs to fire Rod Black. Guy is useless. Need to improve their telecasts. FYI TSN Nobody gives a **** about the Outrageous Burger or Bennevides and Forde's eating habits.

Blame the CBC Television Network for all of that lol

[TBURGESS]

50 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Rider Defence looked better than I thought.

Calgary-This may be the year we've all waited for since 2008.

Edmonton-Good offense/Bad Defence - Again

Montreal-I feel bad for Khari.

TSN-Needs to fire Rod Black. Guy is useless. Need to improve their telecasts. FYI TSN Nobody gives a **** about the Outrageous Burger or Bennevides and Forde's eating habits.

Fixed it for you. 😎

[USABomberfan]

Also wonder why week 2 has only 3 games and not 4?

[Brandon]

My takeaways.....  our front 7 is damn good and I could only imagine the fits they will be giving to the weaker QB's.  

Montreal is screwed with Pipkin and Adams,  both are absolutely atrocious.  I'm sure if they called up Crompton with his 4 years of not playing he would still do better....   

Calgary looks vulnerable,   BLM does not have that amazing receiving core that he's been used to.  Several perfect passes were dropped and killed drives against Ottawa.   The defense also looks far from dominant.  

I think Edmonton is more well rounded then BC and will have a better record then them. 

 

[Jpan85]

50 minutes ago, USABomberfan said:

Also wonder why week 2 has only 3 games and not 4?

Three teams on bye need to do this every few weeks to get the three bye weeks in.

[USABomberfan]

39 minutes ago, Brandon said:

My takeaways.....  our front 7 is damn good and I could only imagine the fits they will be giving to the weaker QB's.  

Montreal is screwed with Pipkin and Adams,  both are absolutely atrocious.  I'm sure if they called up Crompton with his 4 years of not playing he would still do better....   

Calgary looks vulnerable,   BLM does not have that amazing receiving core that he's been used to.  Several perfect passes were dropped and killed drives against Ottawa.   The defense also looks far from dominant.  

I think Edmonton is more well rounded then BC and will have a better record then them. 

 

Maybe, but highly debatable IMO.  I feel BC has em beat in several areas

QB - I get that Reilly may not be the QB he was back in 2014 and 2015, and I even thought he declined a bit over the course of last year.  But I'd still take him over Harris at this point.

RB - I'll give it to Edmonton based on what I saw from Gable on Friday night, and he looked pretty good.

WRs - I gotta give it to BC here with Carter, Burnham, Johnson and co over Stafford, Collins and Ellingson.  Stafford was the only one I was impressed with, I mean Collins had some catches but he also put the ball on the ground, and Ellingson was mostly invisible.

OL - I don't know, tossup, though EDM did do pretty well without Travis Bond, and when he gets back they'll only get better so maybe a slight edge there

Defense: I think I gotta give it to BC even if the numbers didn't quite show it.  The offensive talent they were going up against with our team certainly was better than MTL's.  And as one poster said, Claybrooks is bound to get it better.  Maybe not as good as what he did in CGY the last couple years, but certainly better I think.

As a Bomber fan, I can't complain when the cards thus far seem to be stacking our way.

[USABomberfan]

Oh btw couple Bomber hot takes:

1. The Nichols detractors (or detractor) are silenced because he is an all throws QB who was hitting several big ones including that beautiful Adams deep ball and the pump fake TD pass to Woltairesky.

Not a game manager, and please ... Stop obsessing when he has sub 300 or 200 numbers.  It's called the Harris factor.

2. Hopefully Lapolice took notes about the effectiveness of the motions and play action passes.  He certainly showed again why he has been a respected OC, but let's hope he doesn't get in his own way again like he did late last season and in the WF.

[M.O.A.B.]

13 hours ago, USABomberfan said:

Oh btw couple Bomber hot takes:

1. The Nichols detractors (or detractor) are silenced because he is an all throws QB who was hitting several big ones including that beautiful Adams deep ball and the pump fake TD pass to Woltairesky.

Not a game manager, and please ... Stop obsessing when he has sub 300 or 200 numbers.  It's called the Harris factor.

2. Hopefully Lapolice took notes about the effectiveness of the motions and play action passes.  He certainly showed again why he has been a respected OC, but let's hope he doesn't get in his own way again like he did late last season and in the WF.

Agree. Don't expect Nichols to throw on the 300's. Bombers bread and butter is the run game. 

[Mark H.]

1 hour ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Agree. Don't expect Nichols to throw on the 300's. Bombers bread and butter is the run game. 

Based on what we saw Saturday night, he will throw for 300+ when teams stack the box.  

[Booch]

The team played smart...the run was there, so they used it and owned the TOP that game, and took the shots when they were there (3 TD passes attest to that)

Look at BC...Forced the long ball game all game and sure you will win some shots every game, but without balance, or inflicting your will on a team with the capable horses (oline and runningback/schemes) you will lose more than you win..

I believe it was mentioned that after their 3rd quarter TD Reilly completed only 4 more passes the rest of the game...hardly a dissection of our defense 

[Geebrr]

It was obvious from the jump they couldn't stop the run (as we all identified looking at their depth chart pre game).

We will take the 150+ yd running and 3 passing TDs out of our league best offence.

[Stickem]

I wonder what the opposition is going to do once Mathews hits the field......Nichols will butcher them IF they want to stack the box continually to defense Harris...I would say we're in a nice spot to be in